By Sandy Morris

Albany High School juniors and seniors will crown the 2021 prom queen and king during the Junior-Senior Prom to be held from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 15 at the Whitney Theater. 

“A Black Tie Affair” is the theme of this year’s prom, which will be sponsored by the junior class and chaperoned by the junior class sponsors.

The dance is open to AHS juniors, seniors, and their dates. 

Dates have to be enrolled in a high school but can be from other high schools with prior approval. 

By Sandy Morris

Academic excellence was honored at the Albany Independent School District’s annual Academic Banquet for junior high and high school students on Monday, May 10 in the main gym at Albany High School.

The Feed Store, Albany Academic Booster Club, and Albany ISD co-sponsored the banquet again this year. 

AISD superintendent Jonathan Scott welcomed the honorees and guests, and then Feed Store board president Clint Chapman led the invocation.

By Sandy Morris

The first week of official rehearsals for the 2021 Fandangle began last week at the Prairie Theater.

Fandangle artistic director Lorna Ayers said rehearsals were well-attended last week.

“We had amazing rehearsals last week,” Ayers said.”It was good to see so many people back on the Prairie stage.

Ayers said in addition to the many returning familiar faces, many new families joined the production, but people are still welcome to join.

Rehearsal Schedule

By Sandy Morris

The Old Jail Art Center will host a members viewing and reception  this weekend for two exhibitions that opened more than two months ago.

No public opening was planned at that time because of COVID precautions and limited hours of operation.

The event for featured artists Billy Hassell and Sterling Allen will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 15. 

The reception, which is the first public event since COVID, will provide refreshments in the sculpture courtyard.  

By Melinda L. Lucas

A quorum of the seven-member Shackelford County Hospital District’s board of directors met in a special session on Wednesday evening, May 5 to canvass votes from the May 1 election within the allotted time period, but also acted on one other item on the agenda.

The vote tallies posted on Election Day were upheld by the board, retaining incumbents Mike Folsom, Jo Ann Estridge, and Leslie Belcher.

By law, the canvass had to be completed by May 12, which would have fallen prior to the next regular board meeting on May 17.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Two new teachers were hired and two resignations accepted during an early morning meeting of the Albany ISD trustees.

Longtime local educator Sara Wilson submitted her resignation effective at the end of this school year, as did Audrey Faith, who has been at Nancy Smith Elementary School.

Hired for Wilson’s special education position was Missy Dutchover of Stamford, while Michelle Lowrey of Graham was offered the position of junior high science.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Albany city council members voted to move forward with plans to refinance the water plant bonds by adopting an ordinance at Monday night’s regular council meeting.

They also voted to extend the school zone to include Breckenridge Street in hopes of slowing down drivers a block from the high school campus.

Bond Refinancing

Brian Osowski of AMKO Advisors explained details about refinancing the water plant bonds in a phone conference call, stating that the estimated savings in the current low interest is more than $800,000.

By Melinda L. Lucas

After a short walk around the grounds, Shackelford County commissioners made a decision about where to place a granite monument inscribed with the 10 Commandments during a morning meeting on May 10.

The marker was approved last month after a citizen request and will be privately funded.

A motion by Lanham Martin, approved by all four commissioners, will place the monument on the west side of the Courthouse Square adjacent to Hwy. 283, on the east side of the inner walkway “at an exact point to be determined by the county judge.”

By Melinda A. Lucas

The staff of The Lions Roar, the student newspaper for Albany High School, earned a 16th consecutive Star Award along with over 40 individual honors announced by the Interscholastic League Press Conference (ILPC) on Saturday.

The annual state-level journalism convention was cancelled for a second year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but results of the judging were posted on Saturday.

By Sandy Morris

Junior 4-H member Johnnie Hise took part in the 4-H Fashion Show on Friday, April 30 in San Angelo and placed first in her division, advancing her to the state contest.

Hise will travel to College Station on June 8 to compete in her category of ‘Construction-Semi-Formal to Formal,’ according to Shackelford County extension agent and 4-H sponsor Kloey Painter.